The present invention generally pertains to games and is particularly directed to games in which a plurality of players manage playing pieces in accordance with a set of rules.
In various games there are rules involving movement of playing pieces on a game board and additional rules for resolving confrontations that occur upon movement of a playing piece of a first player to a space on the game board occupied by a playing piece of a second player. Examples of rules for resolving confrontations that occur when the playing piece of the first player is moved to the space occupied by the playing piece of the second player are rules that cause the second player""s playing piece to be either acquired by the first player, removed from play, or moved to a different space on the game board. In some games the movement of the playing pieces on the game board involves an element of chance. Also, some games, such as poker, include rules involving acquisition of property-type playing pieces, such as poker chips, by one player from another player in accordance with an element of chance. Typically, the element of chance involves using such random-output apparatus as dice, cards or a spinable-pointer-and-dial apparatus.
In addition to being embodied in such apparatus as a game board and playing pieces, games are also embodied in computer readable storage media for use with a computer, wherein a computer readable storage medium programs the computer for controlling a game displayed on a computer monitor during which a plurality of players manage playing pieces in accordance with a set of rules.
The present invention provides a computer readable storage medium for use with a computer, wherein the computer readable storage medium programs the computer for controlling a game displayed on a computer monitor during which a plurality of players manage displayed playing pieces in accordance with a set of rules, including a first variable rule that is more favorable to a first player than to a second player at least once during the course of the game; a second variable rule that is more favorable to the second player than to some other player when the first variable rule is more favorable to the first player than to the second player and becomes more favorable to said some other player than to the second player whenever the second player changes the first variable rule to become more favorable to the second player; and a change-enabling rule that enables the second player to change the first variable rule upon occurrence of a predetermined condition during the course of the game so that the first variable rule becomes more favorable to the second player. In another aspect, the present invention provides a computer readable storage medium for use with a computer, wherein the computer readable storage medium programs the computer for controlling a game displayed on a computer monitor during which a plurality of players manage displayed playing pieces in accordance with a set of rules, including a first rule involving movement of the playing pieces on a game board; and a second rule for resolving a confrontation that occurs upon movement of a playing piece of a first player to a space on the game board occupied by a playing piece of a second player; wherein the second rule involves an element of chance for resolving said confrontation; and wherein the computer readable storage medium also programs the computer for executing a random-output routine to determine the output of said confrontation.
In still another aspect, the present invention provides a computer readable storage medium for use with a computer, wherein the computer readable storage medium programs the computer for controlling a game displayed on a computer monitor during which a plurality of players take turns managing displayed playing pieces in accordance with a set of rules, including a first rule involving movement of the playing pieces on a game board; a second rule for resolving a confrontation that occurs upon movement of a playing piece of a first player to a space on the game board occupied by a playing piece of a second player; and at least one variable rule that from time to time favors one player over another player in at least one aspect of the game; wherein the outcome of a turn involves an element of chance and indicates either a number of spaces for movement of a said playing piece, or that the player taking the turn has a choice of changing a said variable rule that currently is not most favorable to such player so that such variable rule becomes more favorable to such player.
Additional features of the present invention are described with reference to the detailed description of the preferred embodiments.